go, villain!" cried he, struggling with all his might. "Osmond,
Osmond, help!"

Even as he spoke Osmond had disengaged him from the grasp of the
Frenchman, and putting his hand on his arm, said, "Nay, my Lord, it is
not for you to strive with such as these."

"I will strive!" cried the boy. "I will not have my way barred in my own
Castle. I will tell the King how these rogues of his use me. I will
have them in the dungeon. Sir Eric! where is Sir Eric?"

Away he rushed to the stairs, Osmond hurrying after him, lest he should
throw himself into some fresh danger, or by his loud calls attract the
French, who might then easily make him prisoner. However, on the very
first step of the stairs stood Sir Eric, who was too anxious for the
success of the attempt to escape, to be very far off. Richard, too angry
to heed where he was going, dashed up against him without seeing him, and
as the old Baron took hold of him, began, "Sir Eric, Sir Eric, those
French are villains! they will not let me pass--"

"Hush, hush! my Lord," said Sir Eric. "Silence! come here."

However imperious with others, Richard from force of habit always obeyed
Sir Eric, and now allowed himself to be dragged hastily and silently by
him, Osmond following closely, up the stairs, up a second and a third
winding flight, still narrower, and with broken steps, to a small round,
thick-walled turret chamber, with an extremely small door, and loop-holes
of windows high up in the tower. Here, to his great surprise, he found
Dame Astrida, kneeling and telling her beads, two or three of her
maidens, and about four of the Norman Squires and men-at-arms.

"So you have failed, Osmond?" said the Baron.

"But what is all this? How did Fru Astrida come up here? May I not go
to the King and have those insolent Franks punished?"

"Listen to me, Lord Richard," said Sir Eric: "that smooth-spoken King
whose words so charmed you last night is an ungrateful deceiver. The
Franks have always hated and feared the Normans, and not being able to
conquer us fairly, they now take to foul means. Louis came hither from
Flanders, he has brought this great troop of French to surprise us, claim
you as a ward of the crown, and carry you away with him to some prison of
his own."

"You will not let me go?" said Richard.

"Not while I live," said Sir Eric. "Alberic is gone to warn the Count of
Harcourt, to call the Normans together, and here we are ready to defend
this cham